because it's your job... even if it's not your job...
I had the day off, and I can't even begin to describe the amount of gratitude I hold in my heart towards federal holidays. People always give bankers a hard time for being closed on so many holidays, but don't you worry. All of you non-bankers enjoy more vacation days than we do as our two week use or lose it policy doesn't really allow for a whole lot of extra time to take otherwise. So, it all works out in the end. But I am thankful for forced days off because, truth be told, I have a hard time using a personal day to run errands to knock items off of my to-do list. No, if I am going dip into my personal days, it's going to be for something fun - not cleaning the house.
The end of the weekend is hard. I love my job, and yet every Sunday night I always feel a little pang of dread for the moment my alarm goes off dark and early on Monday morning. Not that I don't want to go to work, rather, I just want to sleep until the sun has been up for a few hours, eat waffles while watching Netflix reruns, and then head up to the office around noon. No kidding, I could absolutely get as much work done in 5 hours as I do in 8 hours. Why, you ask? Because I would be well rested. But, these past few weeks have held more hours than normal, and this week threatens to do the same. As I discussed my schedule with Aaron, I began feeling tired just thinking about the 13 hour day I have on Thursday and the 5:00AM start for Friday. And if that wasn't enough to make me wish the week away, I thought about the pending list of projects that continue to be piled on my plate that really have little to nothing to do with my actual job. That's the beauty of making suggestions and working in an all encompassing department. Many things can easily fall in your lap.
I have a hard working team, and I always tell my girls that I truly believe they are the A-Team. They crank out work in no time flat, constantly being pulled in one direction and then the other, and they do it well. They are always on top of their responsibilities, always taking care of business, and they never let things fall through the cracks. It's so refreshing to work with a group of people who take complete and total responsibility for their roles. We've learned to live in a state of constant change, understanding that it's simply part of the job. And when we begin to feel overwhelmed, when we begin to feel like we're going to lose our minds, I always remember that the chaos is nothing more than job security, and, in all reality, is a big complement. After all, Jesus said when we manage what little we have well, we will be entrusted with more. This is the truth for my team.
But sometimes, well more often than not, our work goes unseen. And if it doesn't go unseen, it goes criticized. Never mind that there are countless factors to take into consideration when trying to identify the true root of a problem. And, knowing full well how hard my girls work, how smart they are and how good they are at their jobs, I can become discouraged when complements are rare. Last week I received a short email from a co-worker with whom I rarely interact, and he simply said, "You're doing an awesome job. We appreciate you." And I wanted to cry. I also wanted to send him a virtual hug. His words meant so much to me as I have felt buried under many tasks that have taken up much of my time so that my own daily responsibilities are being done in the evenings and on the weekends. And often, like my team, I find all of my extra efforts met without gratitude.
But here's the deal, I bet if you work, you feel the same way I do. I bet there are moments when you feel you are giving, giving, giving, and your work is being overlooked and underappreciated. I bet there are moments when you feel like you're doing work for many others, and yet, they're getting credit for all of your efforts. My dad began a new job a few weeks ago, and as one of his co-workers was complaining about a task, he said, "Aren't you getting paid?". And isn't that the truth! Aren't we getting paid to work and work well? Didn't our employers hire us with the intention that we would be hard workers and contribute great ideas so that the company would be better off by having us on board? And didn't we agree that we'd do that?
In Luke 17:10 Jesus told his disciples, "In the same way, when you obey me you should say, 'We are not worthy of praise. We are servants who have simply done our duty.'" And in the same way, we should work hard because that's what expected of God's people. To work as if working for the Lord and not man. Because if we only performed when we got noticed or received praised, no one would ever get anything done. And, at the end of the day, even if we never receive a good word for the work we've done, it doesn't mean our work wasn't good. It doesn't mean that our work isn't vital and necessary, either. Maybe, it just means that we're doing our jobs and we're doing them well. Because trust me, if you stopped doing your job or even stopped doing it well, someone would definitely take notice.
So work hard. Work well. Be thankful and gracious for the complements you receive and be sure to pass them on to others as well when the opportunities arise. After all, it takes everyone to keep a ship afloat. Some may row harder, some may row longer, but each person's effort move the ship forward. And be grateful for the job you have because maybe the Lord gave us our jobs as a means of provision, as a way to use our talents to glorify Him, rather than a means of growing our ego through man's praise. And remember that, when the days get stressful and your to-do list gets long, clearly your role matters. Clearly, you're needed. And the fact that you keep getting a paycheck every other week is a good reminder that your work is making a difference.
"Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense." - Proverbs 12:11
The end of the weekend is hard. I love my job, and yet every Sunday night I always feel a little pang of dread for the moment my alarm goes off dark and early on Monday morning. Not that I don't want to go to work, rather, I just want to sleep until the sun has been up for a few hours, eat waffles while watching Netflix reruns, and then head up to the office around noon. No kidding, I could absolutely get as much work done in 5 hours as I do in 8 hours. Why, you ask? Because I would be well rested. But, these past few weeks have held more hours than normal, and this week threatens to do the same. As I discussed my schedule with Aaron, I began feeling tired just thinking about the 13 hour day I have on Thursday and the 5:00AM start for Friday. And if that wasn't enough to make me wish the week away, I thought about the pending list of projects that continue to be piled on my plate that really have little to nothing to do with my actual job. That's the beauty of making suggestions and working in an all encompassing department. Many things can easily fall in your lap.
I have a hard working team, and I always tell my girls that I truly believe they are the A-Team. They crank out work in no time flat, constantly being pulled in one direction and then the other, and they do it well. They are always on top of their responsibilities, always taking care of business, and they never let things fall through the cracks. It's so refreshing to work with a group of people who take complete and total responsibility for their roles. We've learned to live in a state of constant change, understanding that it's simply part of the job. And when we begin to feel overwhelmed, when we begin to feel like we're going to lose our minds, I always remember that the chaos is nothing more than job security, and, in all reality, is a big complement. After all, Jesus said when we manage what little we have well, we will be entrusted with more. This is the truth for my team.
But sometimes, well more often than not, our work goes unseen. And if it doesn't go unseen, it goes criticized. Never mind that there are countless factors to take into consideration when trying to identify the true root of a problem. And, knowing full well how hard my girls work, how smart they are and how good they are at their jobs, I can become discouraged when complements are rare. Last week I received a short email from a co-worker with whom I rarely interact, and he simply said, "You're doing an awesome job. We appreciate you." And I wanted to cry. I also wanted to send him a virtual hug. His words meant so much to me as I have felt buried under many tasks that have taken up much of my time so that my own daily responsibilities are being done in the evenings and on the weekends. And often, like my team, I find all of my extra efforts met without gratitude.
But here's the deal, I bet if you work, you feel the same way I do. I bet there are moments when you feel you are giving, giving, giving, and your work is being overlooked and underappreciated. I bet there are moments when you feel like you're doing work for many others, and yet, they're getting credit for all of your efforts. My dad began a new job a few weeks ago, and as one of his co-workers was complaining about a task, he said, "Aren't you getting paid?". And isn't that the truth! Aren't we getting paid to work and work well? Didn't our employers hire us with the intention that we would be hard workers and contribute great ideas so that the company would be better off by having us on board? And didn't we agree that we'd do that?
In Luke 17:10 Jesus told his disciples, "In the same way, when you obey me you should say, 'We are not worthy of praise. We are servants who have simply done our duty.'" And in the same way, we should work hard because that's what expected of God's people. To work as if working for the Lord and not man. Because if we only performed when we got noticed or received praised, no one would ever get anything done. And, at the end of the day, even if we never receive a good word for the work we've done, it doesn't mean our work wasn't good. It doesn't mean that our work isn't vital and necessary, either. Maybe, it just means that we're doing our jobs and we're doing them well. Because trust me, if you stopped doing your job or even stopped doing it well, someone would definitely take notice.
So work hard. Work well. Be thankful and gracious for the complements you receive and be sure to pass them on to others as well when the opportunities arise. After all, it takes everyone to keep a ship afloat. Some may row harder, some may row longer, but each person's effort move the ship forward. And be grateful for the job you have because maybe the Lord gave us our jobs as a means of provision, as a way to use our talents to glorify Him, rather than a means of growing our ego through man's praise. And remember that, when the days get stressful and your to-do list gets long, clearly your role matters. Clearly, you're needed. And the fact that you keep getting a paycheck every other week is a good reminder that your work is making a difference.
"Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense." - Proverbs 12:11
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